So, Sir Therbion, has your concern been somewhat alleviated?
How much effort must I put in to fully understand that one sentence?
Usher regretted that he had unknowingly stopped moving.
This action was almost the same as silently admitting.
Would it have been better to tilt my head or smile and ask what he meant?
Usher, who had been thinking, soon shook his head inwardly.
‘No, it would have only made things uglier.’
Igor must have been certain enough to throw such words.
It was only then that Usher realized how recklessly he had let this situation slip by.
Thinking back, at some point, he had stopped making an effort to act like a Bersia.
Since it was his own mistake, he couldn’t blame anything or anyone else.
‘Leaving that aside, he is the Pope. If you look at the inside, not the shell, it’s clear. He must have known the Saintess for a long time.’
At that moment, Usher was able to calm his mind.
Usher willingly admitted that he had been caught and opened his mouth.
Above all, he had to eliminate any misunderstandings that might arise from this situation.
“Your Holiness. Please, hear me out first.”
“Yes?”
“First of all, I didn’t intentionally change my body, and the recent rumors about the Saintess becoming more feminine are a blatant slander. I haven’t acted in a feminine way, nor have I enjoyed living as a woman. While living in this body, since the Saintess kept bothering me, I unintentionally became agitated, but because it’s the Saintess’s body, it might look strange from the outside. I’m so frustrated and upset. How can I explain to the Pope that I’m not a pervert enjoying living in a woman’s body? It’s difficult, but still…”
“Please calm down first.”
‘…Yes.’
As the Holy Knight Usher stood before Igor, his words were absolute.
Usher silently closed his mouth, expressing his remaining frustration with his gaze, waiting for Igor’s next words.
Then Igor chuckled.
There was no hesitation in his gesture, even as he waved his hand dismissively.
“You don’t need to make such excuses to me.”
“No, it’s not an excuse…”
“This old man is not very aware of the rumors among the clergy. Do you think an aide would share such private matters with someone high-ranking?”
“Ot…!”
“Hm, anyway, so there are rumors about that?”
Usher’s face turned red.
Igor, unconcerned, continued speaking.
“If it’s about the body swap, I trust you, Sir. From what I know, Sir Therbion is an excellent and diligent person. The Saintess is also not someone who would throw herself into such a prank. So, isn’t it more reasonable to accept this as the will of the Divine?”
“You’re not surprised…”
“Why would it be so special for the Creator of the world to change a soul? Once I thought that, it was easy to understand.”
Afterward, Igor cleared his throat.
“Anyway, I thought this event was the will of the parents. Considering that no one noticed this fact, it wasn’t something I should have spoken about lightly. Was my judgment correct?”
Zzzing—
Usher felt a deep sense of emotion in his chest.
He nodded his head wildly, up and down.
Igor’s deep consideration was certainly melting away the frustration that had been in Usher’s heart.
This is what being a Pope is.
Usher truly realized how noble the position of the head of the Church was, meant for such a great saint.
It was after such a moment passed.
“By the way, how did you know? About the body swap…”
Usher asked this belatedly deepening question.
But the answer he received made Usher feel puzzled.
“The Saintess would not visit the church.”
“Ah…?”
Could coming to the church be enough to confirm her identity?
Usher tilted his head, and Igor spoke.
The answer was rather cryptic.
“The Saintess does not pray. What she holds is not faith.”
“If it’s not for faith…?”
Certainly, Bersia was not a person of great piety, but this statement could lead to controversy depending on how it was interpreted.
Usher’s brow furrowed.
Igor smiled bitterly.
“It’s unfortunate. She possesses the greatest love of the parents, but the Saintess cannot accept that love as love.”
“That’s…”
“The day the Saintess received the divine revelation, it was I who went to the Astalion royal family to bring her. It was something I could hardly accept there.”
Asher’s eyes widened.
What came from his mouth was a story about Bersia before she became the Saintess, a story that had been nearly impossible to know.
But Igor seemed unwilling to share much more.
He simply tore off a piece of bread and mumbled.
Usher was filled with curiosity, but he could not continue questioning.
He knew that trying to extract information that someone did not want to talk about was inappropriate.
However, that did not mean he could swallow his doubts completely.
Usher fiddled with the tips of his fingers.
It was in the midst of this.
“Sir Therbion.”
“Ah, yes…”
“Then, I thank you.”
Suddenly, Igor spoke.
“If your body has been swapped, then the one known as Sir Therbion now must be the Saintess. Realizing that, I kept an eye on her life. She often laughed and walked around.”
“…She’s mostly mocking me and enjoying it.”
“That’s why I’m grateful. It’s truly rare for her to communicate with others.”
There was a hollow, empty laugh somewhere.
“She is someone with much loneliness. She has lived like that all her life. Living with a closed heart is a sad thing. The Creator designed us to crave love, yet if we build walls and live alone, won’t we end up living with a knot in our hearts for our whole lives? But there is nothing that can be done. Loneliness is a disease of the heart. The Saintess may not be able to deal with that wall by herself.”
Before long, more than half of Igor’s bread was gone.
He quietly looked down at the bread and continued speaking.
“The hand I reached out didn’t touch her. But the hand you extended surely touched her. A smile and warmth are the greatest remedies. I believe you are healing her in such a way.”
Usher couldn’t fully understand what he was saying.
That was to be expected. In this conversation, there was a large difference between the amount of information Usher and Igor possessed.
However, he could grasp the essence of what Igor wanted to say.
Salvation that comes from the goodwill and smiles of others.
Usher understood that better than anyone.
After all, hadn’t he himself been saved by such goodwill?
Usher smiled softly.
Now, he vaguely understood that Bersia had some sort of deficiency or pain.
If possible, Usher wanted to help Bersia with his own strength.
Thus, he spoke.
“…I’m afraid you’re expecting too much. But yes, I will do my very best. After all, I am her knight.”
“That’s reassuring.”
“Haha….”
Usher scratched his cheek, and the two of them talked about several trivial matters.
The quiet cathedral provided a peaceful, cozy atmosphere, and while chatting, Usher realized that Igor was a person quite similar to him in nature.
That is to say, they communicated well.
It felt like meeting an old companion with shared interests.
Sometimes about faith, sometimes about life, and at other times about various trivial things.
Eventually, Usher even complained about the troublesome moments caused by Bersia’s playful antics, to which Igor chuckled.
“I’m being serious…!”
“Haha, I’m sorry. But hmm… it’s interesting. Erotic books, huh. It’s fascinating to speculate on how the Saintess came into contact with such things.”
“If I find the source, I will punish them severely! It’s necessary for the Church’s decorum!”
After passionately speaking, Usher was able to stand up with a refreshing feeling.
The frustrations that had built up from having no one to complain to about the body swap were now completely gone.
Having finished tidying up the cathedral, it was slightly past bedtime.
When Usher realized this and apologized to Igor, Igor waved his hand dismissively.
“As I said, this old man has no sleep, so I spend my leisure at this hour. Today, I had a very enjoyable time conversing with you. I hope such times continue in the future.”
“Ah…! Of course! If you request it, I will gladly do so!”
The atmosphere remained pleasant until the very end.
As they smiled at each other and walked out of the cathedral, they suddenly heard a voice.
“…You were here, Saintess.”
A cold voice echoed.
At that, Usher’s spine shivered.
He froze, his smiling face hardening as he looked forward.
There she was.
With a cold expression, Bersia was staring at him and Igor.